Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 34

Team 7 was quickly allowed through the gate and headed for the Hokage's office. They entered to find Tsunade and Anko waiting for them, Anko looking annoyed as she looked at Hiro.

"Nice express delivery," she snapped and Hiro grinned.

"You're welcome," he shot back cheekily.

"Welcome back Team 7," Tsunade butted in. "Report," she looked at Ibiki who nodded and explained what had happened. "Good work."

"What about Sasuke?" Sakura asked, curious. There was still a part of her that wanted him back with them, on the team, the way things had been. But she also knew he'd done some awful things, like nearly killing Naruto.

"His fate will be decided once all facts have been determined," Tsunade answered coolly. Personally, she would see the brat dead for his crimes, but she knew the Council would throw a collective fit if the Uchiha was killed. She didn't understand what people saw in the clan. "You have a week downtime unless something comes up. Dismissed. Ibiki, see what you can get out of him on Orochimaru."

Hiro and Sakura walked silently, side by side, through the village towards her place. "You okay?" he asked, and she nodded. "You care about him."

"We were teammates," Sakura answered, staring at the ground.

"You wanted more," Hiro stated, hands in his pockets as he walked. It was no secret, he'd heard from the other Rookies about how Sakura and Ino had fought over the Uchiha during the Academy and until he had defected. He had thought she was over that, but had she seen him as a replacement? He knew there were similarities in their appearance, but they were very different in personality and abilities.

"I… I did….we all did. He was so cool, good looking…"

"And when he left?" Hiro pushed.

"I went after him that night, tried to go with him," she admitted softly. "I told Naruto to bring him back."

"You love him," Hiro smiled sadly, he really had no luck when it came to dating. They stopped in front of her house.

"Hiro…"

He leant in and kissed her cheek before stepping back and her eyes widened in shock. "I'll see you at training," he said before vanishing.

Sakura opened her mouth, but Hiro was gone. She touched her cheek where he'd kissed her, and she knew it was the last kiss she'd get from him. She'd ruined it because part of her still wasn't over Sasuke. Hiro was a great guy, a war hero even if most people didn't know that, he was very good looking and she'd thought they had a shot. She went inside and up to her room, dumping her mission gear to flop on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She'd messed up and she knew it. She'd hurt Hiro and she had never meant to do that but…he was right, despite everything she loved Sasuke.

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Hiro dropped down on his bed, hands beneath his head, to stare at the ceiling. Fawkes began to sing softly, and he smiled. "Thanks." Ves slithered from the window to settle at his side and he stroked her scales. He should never have tried to date Sakura, it had been a mistake, he'd heard the talk of her obsession with the Uchiha, it should have warned him off. But she was fun to be around and pretty, and he'd let himself hope for something that was never going to happen. Maybe he should just forget about ever dating. He picked up the picture of his parents dancing together in the snow and smiled, gently touching his Mother's face, was it wrong to want what they'd had?

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Ibiki glanced at Kakashi who nodded slightly, he saw it too. Things had changed in Team 7 since the Uchiha had been caught and they weren't changed for the better. He knew Hiro and Sakura had been dating but it appeared they had stopped. Hiro treated her no differently in training than he ever had but there was a distance there now. Naruto obviously sensed something had changed but didn't know what.

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Hiro sat against a tree, reading a letter from Mooney. The wizarding world appeared to finally be recovering from the war and positive changes were being implemented. He still wasn't going back, not after everything they had put him through. Hedwig sat on his shoulder, occasionally preening his hair. He put the letter aside and leant his head back against the rough bark. He knew his old friends still hoped he'd return but he was done being the hero, the poster boy for the Light. He just wanted to live his life with his family. He wished they didn't live such dangerous lives, but he couldn't ask Iruka to stop being a ninja.

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Iruka watched as Kakashi prepped his mission gear. He'd known this day would come, he just wished it could have been far in the future. Kakashi was fully healed, physically and mentally and had been cleared back to full active duty. This was what they'd been working for since rescuing him but Iruka still found himself wishing things could be different.

Kakashi looked up and met his eyes, seeing the worry and he offered a crooked smile. "It's a C rank courier run, I'll be fine."

"You do remember the last time you said that? The first mission with Team 7?" Iruka pointed out and Kakashi grimaced at the reminder.

"Well I'm not escorting a bride builder this time," he offered and Iruka grabbed him, kissing him and Kakashi held him close.

"Come home safe," Iruka whispered before dashing out the door, he couldn't be late for class and he didn't want to see Kakashi leave. He would come home, he was the copy-nin.

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Sasuke looked up and glared at the man who walked through the door to his cell. He wasn't scared, they wouldn't dare harm him, he was their precious Uchiha after all. He'd get a slap on the wrist at worse and then he'd have his revenge on Umino.

TBC…